I could probably list a hundred things that I would have liked to know when I became a natural. However, in the interest of time and your sanity, I will only list 10 of them. I am a researcher by nature and by major, so I researched natural hair for 3 years before I got with the program. My research helped me face a lot of the issues I encountered, but there were some things that I had to find out the hard way.

1. It can be lonely. Don't get me wrong. The natural community has its benefits, but you may not always feel those benefits. No matter how many curlies you may meet online or in the marketplace, it's nice to have someone to talk to face to face who's going through the same stage or has been there. If you don't have that, it can be lonely especially if you try to talk natural problems with someone who has a relaxer. They're simply not going to be able to relate...even if they felt like trying.

2. Products may make your shrinkage worse.We've all had it in our arsenal. That one-oh-so-awesome-softness-personified product that makes our hair feel like silk, yet causes our newly gained growth to seemingly disappear. Just me? No? I didn't think so. You don't want to give it up, but you sigh and keep searching.

3. You may have to order your products online.I swore I would never be one of those naturalistas who ordered online. The shipping alone was a deterrent, but when you find what works and it's only available...you guessed it...online, you have to bite the bullet. I finally found what works best for me (review coming soon), but I have to order it online. The good news is the shipping is a decent flat rate and they fill their containers to the brim I tell you.

4. You don't have to be heavy-handed.I know I know I've done it too. You think you have to use a lot of product to get the job done. While that may be true with some products, this high density, coarse-stranded curly can tell you that there are exceptions to every rule. That itchy scalp you sometimes experience could be too much product.

5. It's okay to not have holy grail products.Let me clarify this statement. It's okay if the day you cut off your relaxed ends you don't have holy grail gotta have 'em or bust products in your bathroom. The truth is those bloggers took their time finding the right products and it took a while for some of them. Be patient you'll find them. I finally found what works for me 1&1/2 years after my BC.

6. Other naturals may not like you for no good reason at all.This is one thing that took me by so much surprise it wasn't funny. I thought the natural community was just that...a community. That was Not the case for me. I've made a few natural friends in my area, but it wasn't easy.

7. Your worse hair days may be the days you get the most compliments. This is proof positive that natural always looks good no matter how we feel about it. Someone always thinks it looks dope. Remember that the next time you have an extra long detangling session. Which brings me to...

8. You don't have to spend all day detangling.Whether you're in Camp Prepoo or not, detangling shouldn't drain the life out of you. If it's taking forever (hours), you may need to improve your method. Different strokes for different folks applies to hair too. You may need a detangling tool like a seamless wide-tooth comb or a tangle teaser, or Mother Nature could have been kind and your fingers will do. Whatever you need, customize your detangling session to fit you and your hair's needs.

9. You don't have to use cold water.Before I get attacked here, notice that I said it doesn't have to be cold. I didn't say it should be boiling either. If you're low porosity like me, cold or even cool water can be a hinderance. Skip the cool rinse in favor of room temperature or warm water not hot.

10. You don't have to do protective styles.When I first became a natural, I thought two-strand twists and braid outs were a rite of passage. They didn't look great on my twa and I was disappointed. What I need to concentrate on was moisture and low manipulation hairstyles. That's when I saw the most health and growth.

Hello, fellow Chasers, sorry I've been absent lately, but my laptop is out of commission and desktop availability is limited. I hope all is well with you and your journeys. This will perhaps be the hardest confession yet. I recently suffered a bout of scalp irritation that I thought could only be dandruff, but my scalp was in horrible shape. Warning: if you are eating, this will probably gross you out.

I had chunks of it raining down if I scratched and yes, call the hair and scalp police I scratched. I had what I thought were sores in various areas of my scalp, flaking around my edges, and rashes breaking out front and back. The sores turned out to be chunks of shed skin that clumped together. How is that different from dandruff? I'm glad you asked. Dandruff is usually dirt, oil, and some dead skin cells which becomes trapped on your scalp. It is usually small and thin not large and thick like what was in my head. I was embarrassed to say the least. I didn't want to go around anyone and I didn't want to blog about healthy hair when I was suffering the worst setback ever. My hair didn't seem to be growing, and washing my hair only helped for a day. This agony lasted for about a month.

Now, let's talk about skin. My regular readers know this, but my new and equally appreciated readers may not. I have really sensitive skin, so I have to be careful what I use. That's why I either use or recommend either homemade hair products or all natural ones. I've been burned too many times. That's why when a persistent rash appeared on my upper back and in between the *ahem* girls that I started giving everything I used the side-eye. I mean I use an all natural soap bar with no preservatives and at the time moisturized my skin with whipped Shea Butter. I've been known to experience Irritant Contact Dermatitis from using the wrong products which resulted in an itchy burning rash and weeks of agony, but the symptoms didn't match. Further research brought me to the conclusion of Seborrheic Dermatitis. The symptoms matched at least, but I still wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want to use the awful smelling tar shampoos of my teenagehood. So, I ended up settling for a cleansing co-wash and cleansing every other day as recommended. I still shampoo once a week. It seems to be working with the occasional application of a hydrocortisone cream to affected areas.

I might have over shared but I hope by my doing so that I might help someone else who might not be dealing with dandruff either. The moral of this story? There will be obstacles at times in the journey to healthy hair, but keep your head up. This too shall pass...

Hello, Curl Chasers, it's rather unusual for me to write two posts in one day (technically the first one was written 3 weeks ago, but not posted), but this can't wait. I'm pretty ticked right and here's why. I found out earlier today that my video of the "Five Things I Learned From Using Jane Carter Hair products"had been commented on by the Jane Carter Solutions Team. Here's the comment and reply:

janecartersolution 2 weeks agoLinked commentHi Penny, A few things. First off, Wrap & Roll isn't a mousse, it's a cuticle smoother. It has many uses. Many of our wash & wear ladies apply it before Curl Defining Cream to add a little extra hydration. We have many step by step guides that provide visuals of how to apply these two. Additionally, if you would like some extra hold, we recommend people pairing Condition & Sculpt (our liquid gel) for some extra hold that isn't too hard or crunchy.

with love -JCS Team﻿Reply · Penny Jane 5 hours agoYes, I know about the visuals because I've looked at them multiple times (the tutorial for the cream and my hair type did not mention the Wrap and Roll or any leave-in but I tried that as well). Perhaps I should have called it a foam instead since what it actually is is not listed on the label. I do know that my hair and I didn't get along with it very well. I've tried the curl cream with gel (not the condition and sculpt because some bottles list an ingredient that I'm allergic to),, and it's been better, but I get better results from other products.I liked the Revitalizing Leave-In because it's moisturizing and easy to layer. My hair gets both oily and coated if I have to layer too many products or products that are too thick (which the curl cream is). The Wrap and Roll worked for my Mom, so I gave it to her. My hair is just really picky. I need light, moisturizing, frizz killing, lotion like products with non-allergic reaction causing ingredients, which is often hard for me. I appreciate your responding to my concerns. I didn't even think you would see the video let alone respond to it. The video was intended to express what I had learned from using your products versus a full review. Thank you!﻿Penny Jane 3 hours agoOkay, I just looked at the container again and it says "Wrap & Roll is a light foaming mousse designed for wrapping, setting, and smoothing hair." I stand corrected. The bottle does say what the Wrap & Roll is...a mousse.﻿Wait for it... ·

Bam What!!!!

Let's be honest here, Curl Chasers. I'm small potatoes. At the time, my video only had 13 views, so why try to shut me down? Obviously, the responder is both unfamiliar with the product and unfamiliar with my video. Why try to discredit me and my opinion? I have tried everything with this product and the curl cream as I mention In the video. They're not my favorites, so I wasn't going to spend money on something that only gives so-so results. I researched and looked at visuals until I was blue in the face. It didn't help and it Didn't work for my hair. I was thinking of trying other Jane Carter products in the future, but given their response, I'm rethinking that possibility. Am I overreacting here or did it seem like he or she was trying to shut me down by making it seem like I didn't know what I was talking about? The bottle clearly says mousse though I wouldn't be surprised if that disappeared from new bottles suddenly. It's my duty as a low-porosity, sensitive skinned blogger to be honest about the products I use. I never bashed the brand. I just used them to help me illustrate what I'd learned about my hair. I feel like JCS just wanted me to shut up no matter how true my opinion is. I don't like feeling like that, Chasers. I did nothing wrong, but I feel as if they're trying to bully me into silence. Your thoughts?Later Days,~PJ

﻿Guess who's back! Back again! Penny's back! Tell a friend, lol! Okay, okay I couldn't resist fellow chasers. I'm sorry for my extended absence, but I've been dealing with some personal issues. I'm back now and I wanted to share a video review of sorts that I made recently.﻿

As a low porosity natural, deep conditioning is often the bane of my existence. I loathe sitting under the dryer counting the minutes until I can relieve myself of the heat filled agony. I find that DCing before I cleanse makes life so much easier. However, sitting around for hours in order to avoid heat is not the vision either. I had an epiphany this past wash day and decided to baggy with my deep conditioning masque overnight. For those of you who aren't sure what baggying is, it is merely coating your strands with an oil or conditioner of choice, covering your hair with a plastic processing cap or two, and letting your body heat work for you. I'd read that some naturals are against conditioning overnight because the hair could become mushy or over conditioned. Since my hair has trouble taking in moisture, I thought that it might work in my favor instead. How shall I put this? I'm pretty sure I scored major points with Jada. When I rinsed my hair the next day, it felt like silk. No tangles, snarls, dryness, or knots were present. My curls were happier than they'd been in months. I'll share my recipe for my homemade DC in a minute, but first I must sing the praises of my new "lazy" conditioning method. Even the cleansing portion of my wash day was easier after the overnight treatment. Usually, I just prepoo with Vatika oil overnight when I'm not DCing. If you are experiencing dry hair or are low porosity (or both), I totally recommend overnight deep conditioning.

Banana Deep Conditioning Masque*You can use a banana but I recommend pureeing it in a blender as mashing will not give the desired consistency and will get very stuck in your curls. I use banana baby food.

Stir ingredients together in a clean plastic container. I would suggest one with a lid as this masque is rather messy. Apply evenly to dry hair and cover with a plastic processing cap. I like to put my satin bonnet over my plastic cap to lock in extra body heat. My curls are highly dense and reach about armpit to bra strap length when stretched, so you may need more or less depending on your hair's density and length. If you find that you'd made too much, you can always refrigerate the remaining masque until your next conditioning session. I use this treatment every two weeks especially when it's cold.

Jada's latest pampering session just happened to coincide with the day before Valentine's Day a.k.a. Single's Awareness Day. Like many singles, I was not looking forward to the holiday of Love but not for the usual reasons. V-Day and I have never been friends since I had to go identify my beloved dog's dead body when I was 10. For years afterwards, it only marked the anniversary of my childhood best friend's murder (she was shot in the head). We never found out who was guilty. The one Valentine's Day I spent in a relationship was a nightmare of day ruining proportions. Apparently, his idea of romantic was a meal at Buffalo Wild Wings, having a stuffed animal tossed at me, and being dragged to a movie I told him that I didn't want to see. It was the one time I wanted to pick the movie, but noooooo. Needless to say, it only got worse that day, but that would be over sharing. My point is that I usually dread V-day with a passion. This time was no exception, but I decided to make the best of it. I decided to make Jada my valentine. What better way to give my self-worth a nod than to pamper my tresses with the uttermost care. I even tried a coil out for the first time in nearly a year. The only downside was having a bomb diggity hair day without having anywhere to show it off. I was actually surprised with how okay I was with this past Valentine's Day. You see I didn't have to be single this past time but I chose to be. Why? Because, I'd rather wait for the right guy instead of being with someone just for the sake of not being lonely. As for my dog, I'll get another one one of these days, but right now my focus is being the best version of me possible. I'm not sitting around pining away for companionship. I'm taking care of myself spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. That's the best V-day gift I could give myself...well that and a great hair day. So why do I hate Valentine's Day these days? Did I mention that I Didn't get to take Jada for a spin around town? If you haven't guessed, the only thing I hate about V-day is wasting a perfectly good hair day :P

Happy New Year, Curl Chaserz! As 2014 opens with promise, it's important to build on what we learned from 2013 in all aspects of life including our precious curls, kinks, waves. Whether you've been natural for 5 minutes, 5 years, or your entire life, the journey too hair greatness is never ending. I've learned a lot about both myself and my curls over the past two years. I thought I had my hair down to a science until I cut my relaxed ends off completely. That's when the game changed...and continues to change as we head into the new year. So what have I learn so far? I've learned:

1. My hair really, really hates Shea Butter products...period! It makes my hair super oily and my scalp itchy. No bueno! I found this especially odd considering that Shea Moisture products saved my life during my transition and the first two months of full-fledged naturalness.2. All natural products are my dearest friends. They keep my hair and skin happy which is a blessing.3. Deep conditioners are not a necessary evil. Let me clarify that...store bought DC's are not necessary. My curls totally dig puréed banana, honey, and Jojoba oil homemade deep conditioner. 4. I don't need to deep condition every week even in winter. My hair isn't short on moisture, and buildup can be a beast.5. I can protect my hair without it taking forever to put into a fancy style that won't last a week. Sister/rope twists in the very front and back make for a stylish and protective style.6. Henna can be a blessing and a curse. 7. Rinse out conditioners are not a must for me as long as I have a detangling leave-in conditioner handy.8. Deep treatments are most effective when done before I cleanse.

While what I've learned about my curls so far has been helpful, I know I've still got a lot to learn about "Jada". To keep my journey on track, I've come up with a list of hair resolutions. I decided to share them on the off chance that they might help you as well which brings me to #1.

1. Stress less about hair length goals. I'm happy to say that I made my December length goal, mid-back length at longest point, but I want to put more effort into enjoying my hair this year. It won't be this length forever, so I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

2. Figure out the best cleansing schedule for my hair. I've been cleansing for my troubled scalp's sake, but my hair usually still looks and feels great.

3. Find the best/effective solution for my scalp issues and stick with it.

4. Experiment with more styles. I'm creative by nature and easy bored with the same ole styles...Nuff said.

5. Protect my hairline and ends more vigorously.

6. Learn more about Jada. This almost goes without saying...I don't know everything I need to know about that sassy lady atop my oft' furrowed brow.

7. Use my wide-toothed comb for wash-n-go styles and my trusty Denman for twists, coils, braids, etc. The brush is better for smoothing my ends for protective styling while the comb provides better separation for down and out styles.

8. Take Jada to her 1st play date/meet up. I haven't been able to find any local ones, so I may have to start my own. When you're as shy as I am in person, organizing a meet up seems rather intimidating to say the least.

What about you, fellow Chaserz? What are your hair resolutions for the New Year? Any ideas for organizing a good meet up? Leave your answers in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!

Hey, Curl Chasers, Jada here! I’m taking over Penny’s blog today to tell y’all how much I luuuuuvvvv my winter haircare regimen. Now you may have read that I don’t like shampoos including the no sulfate variety. They dry me out like you would not believe. I may be a sassy head of curls, but I require a gentler approach. With Old Man Winter breathing down my follicles, I needed help. Being a “healthy” size lady I can’t fit in most hats and the rest give me headaches. Thank God that Penny’s a smart one. She came up with the perfect regimen to protect me over the winter. Let me break it down for you.1. Cleansing: While the rampant humidity keeps it from getting to dry around here, it’s still too dry for my taste. My texture is no joke, so build up can get serious. Penny found a great cleanser for me with all the traits of a good winter cleanser. It cleans, softens, conditions, and detangles pretty well. Is it a co-wash? No, I’ve never had much luck with those, but I’ve heard that normal and high porosity naturals love ‘em. It is a cream cleanser from CURLS and Honey, it was love at first cleanse. Pre-pooing with an oil, that Penny knows I like, makes it even better.

2. Conditioning: I’m gonna come right out and say it…there is a lot of me. When it comes to conditioner, no wusses allowed. I’ve got to have great slip and even greater moisture. But, it also needs to make a great co-wash on my none cleanser days (Penny only cleanses me once a week in the winter to keep me classy. No strippin’ y’all!). Is it possible to have such a condish? Yes, though others swear by cheaper brands due to usage rates, for us newbie curls slightly more expensive bottles can still last awhile. Penny bought me CURLS Coconut Colada conditioner to go with the cleanser nearly a month ago, and we still lasting. Believe me I am thick but this stuff ain’t no joke ! It coats and smooths with little effort. Don’t be afraid to show your curls a little luxury this winter. Think moisture not price, but don’t go crazy.3.Oil Rinsing: I probably should have mentioned this between cleansing and conditioning because that’s when it’s done. Oooooh is it a treat! It helps lock in unbelievable moisture and makes detangling far easier. It keeps me from being too oily after I’ve been cleansed and conditioned. I get a little frazzled if you apply oil after or in the middle of product application. I especially love this step in the winter. It protects me from the cold.

4. Deep Conditioning: I don’t talk much about deep conditioning because I’ve had some bad experiences. And by bad, honey, let me Tell you. I’ve discovered that Shea Butter makes me greasy and itchy. Now, mango butter I love, but I’ve not a fan of any others (some we’ve never tried). You see Penny and I thought that all curls could benefit from Shea Butter products. I mean after all it’s in almost every natural haircare line around. After a few itchy days, we both came to the conclusion that Shea butter is not for me and that’s okay. If you’re anti oily butters, there are deep conditioners without Shea butter such as Eden Bodyworks Jojoba and Monoi Deep Conditioner. Or if you’re like Penny, you can make your own. One of my favs is banana with jojoba oil and honey. The key is to purée the banana first to get all the little pieces out or go the banana baby food route. I like deep conditioning twice a month in the winter to handle the drier situation.5. Leave-In/Stylers: Now in the warmer months a simple moisturizing leave-in will do, but come winter a moisturizing styler is a must have as well. My girl, Penny, hooked me up with the Kinky Curly Knot Today and Curling Custard duo. I was skeptical at first cuz I love my humectants, but humectant free is workin’ for me…at least in the winter. Whether it’s a custard, gel, cream-gel, butter, or oil, you take it from a set of curls who knows…your waves, curls, or kinks will thank you.

*Note from Penny: Hey, fellow chasers! I thought it would be cool if “The Hair” now known as Jada broke down the rules of thumb for a newbie or any natural’s winter regimen. You might have noticed that she didn't mention protective styling. That's because we don't dig protective styles. They just don't work for us, so I rarely do them. Though protective styles aren't for everyone, you can still protect your tresses with low manipulative styling. I hope you enjoyed Jada's winter rundown!

Well, fellow chasers there comes a time in every Curly's life when you simply must use protective styles. It would seem that that time has come for me. Now, for those of you who are familiar with my natural hair likes, you know that I hate protective styles. Wearing coils every week is obviously not the vision even though it is my favorite. I was getting ready to go to a friend's wedding, and I needed a worthy style. Fast forward to a long night of style hunting until I found a cute style tutorial from Gabrielle of strawberricurls.com (Thanks, girl!). What was this magical style that changed the game for me? It was a wrapped twist out and it fairly rocked. I tossed a couple of hair accessories in and my hair was ready to party.

If you're like me, your curls don't hold styles for very long. So what's a curly to do when you cleanse every four days anyway? The answer, I found, was pretty simple...alternate. If I didn't do the same style each time I cleansed, I wouldn't become discouraged. I want to retain length and protect my tresses from this crazy cold winter. However, keeping my sanity intact is a huge plus. Last weekend, it was a wrapped twist out, which is sort of like a regular twist out except you wrap the twists around your head in the direction you want it to fall and pin them in place. This week it was two pony puffs. While the puffs are easier, I will be trying a different style come cleanse day. Why? I get bored preeeeettttty easily especially with my hair. I like to keep my relationship with Jada interesting. Plus, I get to experiment while my hair is shorter. My advice is this...if you want to protect your ends but hate redoing the same style week after week, you might find it easier to do if you keep it simple and creative.

Later Days, Curl Chasers~PJ

Twisted view from the front and styled twist out....not the best pic but the curl definition was good. Any resemblance to a poodle is purely coincidental :)

It's that time of year again, fellow Chasers. Winter will soon be upon us, and I intend to be ready for it. How will I do that? I thought you'd never ask. My plan is three-fold: pump up my ends, strengthen my hair, and slowly increase Jada's moisture intake. Well, part of strengthening my hair means wrestling with the henna beast and by wrestling I mean getting more of it in my hair than anywhere else (that stuff can be hecka messy). I usually do a good job of avoiding splatter even if my mix is soupier than I would like. This time I was running low on coconut milk, so I used what I had and hoped for the best. I decided to split the chore of doing my hair into two days instead of one. Had I only been taking one day for all this work? Yes...yes, I had. Was I crazy? Probably. I uncoiled my hair over the course of three television shows, and applied the henna before bed. It was a little thicker than usual, but it still spread nicely. I covered my hair with two plastic processing caps and a satin bonnet. I also took the precaution of covering my pillow with an old cotton t-shirt. Thankfully, there was zero drippage. I rinsed it out 12 hours later (see above photo), and decided to low-poo for good measure. Everything was fine...until I applied my conditioner...and it changed colors. If you're thinking that I started to panic, you'd be correct. The henna didn't seem to want to come out! I fought hyperventilation and worked the condish into my hair. I was hoping that the conditioner would remove the rest of it and it seems to have worked. *gives her head a side-eye* My scalp is a little itchier than usual, but it could all be in my head...pun definitely not intended. I'm hoping that the coconut milk and not the amount of time was the issue. What say ye, Curl Chasers? Anyone else have a henna scare? Feel free to share in the comments.

I want you to take a trip with me, Curl Chasers. Close your eyes and imagine for a moment that you see a woman like the one pictured to the left. You're excited to see a fellow natural, so you head in her direction a smile spreading across your face. Just before you get to her she sees you, takes one look at you, and jerks her head away from you while rolling her eyes. You're taken aback, but you figure it must be a fluke. The next time you see another natural you try again and again with the same results. There seem to be a few exceptions such as naturals over 50, naturals you meet online, and naturals of other or blended ethnicities. Now, open your eyes. Pretty crazy trip, huh? Now, imagine that happening to you the entire time you've been natural...yeah, welcome to my experience with the natural community.

Texture shot of my hair

For those of you who don't know, my ethnicity is somewhat dubious. I'm ridiculously blended, but I wasn't raised to be conscious of it. I know I don't look like everyone else. As a child, the children in my neighborhood made sure that I knew that I both looked and talked funny (another story for another time). It took me a while to come to terms with who and what I am. When I decided to go natural, I never thought I'd face the same problem. My texture is...different. My curls are pretty tight, but my hair has Native American characteristics instead of African ones. Apparently, this was apparent to everyone but me until I did some research. I always marveled at Afro-textured hair. I loved the way it looked and the way it holds elaborate styles. I've always been fascinated by other textures as well, but mine was a mystery to me. I thought that joining the natural community would be just that joining a community of people united by their love of natural waves, curls, kinks, and everything in between. Instead, it just reminded me of the isolation that I felt as a child. It bothered me because it shouldn't be that way. The texture of your hair shouldn't determine how you treat another person any more than the color of their skin should.

Yes, our textures are diverse and unique, but we all have something we can learn from each other. We've all had our struggles with out natural hair whether we're Caucasian, African, Asian, Native American, etc. It's those struggles and the story of how we overcame them to embrace who we were created to be that makes us a community. That's why I started my blog. I wanted to reach those who felt left out because they didn't fit the natural stereotype. My natural sisters or brothers don't have to look like me or sound like me in order to be my sister or brother. Our bonds are strong and our experiences inspiring. The problem comes when we shun those bonds because the other person "doesn't know your struggle". You don't know theirs either. I don't believe in good hair or bad hair. I believe in healthy hair that you can't keep your hands off of because you love it. I believe that different textures are just that... different...not better just different.

I apologize for the length of this post, but this topic has been on my mind and my heart for a while. Recently, I joined meetups.com in order to find a group of fellow curlies that I could hang with and swap ideas. The ones in my area were for Black hair, kinky hair, and African-American hair. Just one problem...I don't have Black hair. I am Senegalese, Native American, Irish, Jamaican, and French. I am not one or the other. I am all of them. Looking at the members of the group and the description, I didn't think I'd be welcome and it made me sad. I don't live close enough to make it to NaturallyCurly or Curly Nikki meetups where the pictures show curlies of all shades and textures, so I suffer in silence. If you think I'm exaggerating, I leave you with one more story. I had to make a return to a major retail store, and the worker had to call her supervisor over. Her supervisor was a young woman with a beautiful head of Afro-textured hair. Even though I was the customer and she asked a question that only I could answer, she refused to talk to me or acknowledge my presence. Yes, I'm the only one in line that she treated like that then or since. Maybe it's where I live (the Deep South), I don't know. I do know that I'm probably not alone. Whether someone's curls are looser, tighter, coarser, finer, or longer than yours, it doesn't make them any less a natural than you are or vice versa. If you're reading this and you say "well, I don't treat anyone like that", good for you...pass it on. You may just stop someone from returning to the creamy crack because they felt more accepted with relaxed hair.

All the stories in this article are true and yes they happened to me. It just so happens that one of my dear friends has just big chopped. Now, I can actually say that I finally have a natural friend that I didn't meet on the interwebs. It's sad but true...don't let it happen to a curly near you. And if you see me around, just say hi. I'll be glad you did and I promise I don't bite :)